Is there a Difference with IBS in Men and Women?

IBS is a common disorder that targets the patient’s large intestine. Although everyone can be affected by IBS, studies have shown that women are likely to suffer from the disorder than men. Let us look at how IBS affects women as well as find ways on how to effectively deal with this condition in a timely manner.

The Link Between IBS and Women

It should be noted that IBS cases is reported more often in women compared by men in the United States. Although there is no clear or direct answer as to why there is such a marginal discrepancy, many believe the biological factors contribute greatly in making women more susceptible to IBS than men. Connection between estrogen and progesterone and IBS symptoms in women is what a number of research suggests with regards to its development. Furthermore, IBS and its symptoms have shown to become much worse during menstruation. This is the reason why many are lead to believe that IBS is more prevalent in women than men.

Most Common Symptoms of IBS

IBS brings to the table a wide variety of inconveniences with the symptoms it provides. IBS symptoms in women and men are mostly the same which can range from mild to extreme. The most common types of IBS symptoms include abdominal pain, cramping, bloating, excessive gas, diarrhea, constipation, indigestion, anxiety or depression as well as loss of appetite.

As mentioned earlier, because of menstruation and other related biological factors, IBS symptoms in women tend to be far more troublesome when compared to the symptoms experience by men. With that being said, patients are not left defenseless on their own as there are a number of ways on how you can combat the effects of IBS and one of them is by knowing your triggers.

Learning Your IBS Triggers

Since IBS is a disorder in the large intestine, food has shown to have a huge role in triggering their symptoms. Artificial sweeteners, carbonated beverages, onions, garlic, smoking, and alcohol are considered to be some of the biggest triggers found today. The same can also be said with regards to greasy foods as they can also contribute in increasing colonic contractions to the body. For that matter, patients are often advised to take extra care and caution when picking their food as they don’t want their IBS symptoms to start acting up anytime soon.

Diet plays a very important role in effectively managing IBS and its symptoms. We’ve listed some of the food and drinks that can make their symptoms worse. With that being said, IBS triggers are often considered to be a case by case basis. What this means is that a person may experience a different set of triggers when compared to the other individual. In order to get a clear grasp on what types of food to avoid, it may be best to start documenting your meals with a food journal. Using this method, you can easily sort out the food item that you may feel to have a negative effect with your IBS.